Texas Education Budget Cuts 2011-2013

Articles & resources related to the $5.4 billion education budget cut enacted by the Texas legislature for the 2011-2013 biennium. New additions will be made on an ongoing basis and will appear at the top of the list.

The legislature is discussing restoring only 50% of the funding which was cut in the last biennium, in spite of the fact that our economy has recovered and the Economic Stabilization Fund (i.e. "Rainy Day Fund") has $20 billion in it. Published 3/22/13.

In classrooms across Texas, teachers and students can expect more financial support from the state. So why isn't anyone cheering? "We know that even that money isn't sufficient to meet the needs that we have right now," said Patricia Montgomery, superintendent of the Angleton Independent School District.

Asked about restoring public education aid, Gov. Rick Perry suggested that’s the wrong question. According to a Jan. 9, 2013, Texas Tribune news story, Perry replied at a press conference earlier that day: "We’ve had public education funding growing at three times the public education enrollment.

Testimony in the current Texas school finance lawsuit points to shortfalls that are occurring due to the legislature's delay of a payment into the next fiscal year. Makes the state's books balance, but not the school districts'. Published 1/7/13.

By AP Texas' public schools are $1 billion short, meaning officials will soon have to seek that much in supplemental appropriations from the state Legislature to meet upcoming financial obligations, a top official said at the school finance trial Monday.

As Governor Rick Perry was preparing to run for the GOP presidential nomination, he pushed the legislature to approve a $5.4 billion budget cut in Texas education. His transparent goal was political, and simply to build upon a no tax reputation, which, unsurprisingly, came at the expense of school children.

Expert testimony in the current school finance lawsuit says Texas needs not only to restore previous cuts, but further increase funding if they want schools to meet the goals that have been set for them. Published 10/29/12.

How Texas public schools coped with the $5.4 billion state budget cut in 2011 is sure to dominate the conversation at the Capitol about school funding in 2013. In advance of the next legislative session, one group aims to provide comprehensive data on exactly what has happened.

Many districts around the state are turning to their citizens to fill the gaps left by state funding cuts. Published 9/17/12.

GEORGETOWN, Texas -- Georgetown Independent School District is asking voters to approve a four cent tax increase to offset millions in state budget cuts over the past two years. State cuts reduced the district budget by $7.2 million over two years, while federal funding over the same time.

Conversations about how to spend the education money Texas does have are starting now...Published 9/1/12.

The way things look now, four months out from the beginning of the next session of the Texas Legislature, private school vouchers will be back on the table for debate. And it looks like several heavyweight state officials will be sitting on that side of the table, tilting it their way.

"The newspaper reported that a recent survey of superintendents by the teacher group Texas AFT found that 7 percent of the superintendents expected to increase the size of classes to help control their budgets." Published 8/27/12.

Send this story to a friend Date: Monday, August 27, 2012, 6:55am CDT Students return to class in many North Texas school districts on Monday and some of those elementary school classrooms could be more packed this year than in the past.

"They also are curious about the role that Gov. Rick Perry will play in the wake of his failed presidential bid, as well as how far to the right the conservatives can go without touching off a counter-reaction from moderate Republicans and the Democratic remnant. Education funding could be the flash point." Published 8/4/12.

Somehow, the state's plan for paying for the good chefs and fresh groceries for our classrooms - despite decades of litigation and legislative debates - remains half-baked. What if school leaders could float a bond issue to pay for the programs and people who can really move the needle on educating children, instead of relying on the Texas Legislature and the willingness of local taxpayers to stomach another tax rate hike?

The non-profit Children at Risk is looking into how many jobs have been lost in Texas K- education and how the impact is being felt by Texas students. Published 5/23/12.

DFW elementary school principal Dr. Jerry Burkett is working hard to educate Texans on the facts regarding education budget cuts. In this blog post, he explains the difference between what candidates are currently SAYING and what they really MEAN. Published 4/25/12 and 4/29/12.